Umm, I'd like to help, but it would be easier if I knew you experience in climbing (I wager very limited from the question), and where you are from (for the courses).

First off, there are several different styles of rock climbing, each requiring different gear. Also there are alot of terms that come with the sport. There is a three part article in the articles section on this site on getting started that should be helpful, as well as an article on the afore mentioned terms. I beleive that an article on technical climbing shoes is comming up soon, which might also be of use. Hope you find what you're looking for.

http://www.exumguides.com is a guide service in Jackson Hole Wyoming that offers climing training and guide services and the Grand Teton. www.rockreation.com is a website for rockclimbing gyms in Los angeles andSalt Lake City. They offer many types of classes, prices adn descriptions are available on the site.

The rei.com website has some info under their Clinics section. They provide some basic information on the different types of climbing and the gear associated with each. It would take too long here but you can print out the articles and read them later. Once you have read them come back with any specific questions and maybe we can help.

Lisa, on avg. a beginner course will cost you less then $70, and it covers how to put on your harness, how to tie in (tie the rope to your harness), how to belay (you always climb in pairs, one person climbs while the other person controls how much slack is in the rope, this person is called the "belayer".), and it will teach you some very basic climbing techniques. Every climbing gym offers this course, each varrying from gym to gym, make sure you go to a good gym, for a list of prices check out http://www.joerockheads.com, it is the best climbing gym in Canada, and one of the best in N.America.

so your cost to start the sport is going to be something like this:

$45 for beginner course (this will varry from gym to gym) $150 for a 3 month memebership to local gym $100 for shoes $30 for chalk bag and chalk $60 for harness

then if you want to climb outside once you've learned about climbing in the gym first, you will also have to buy a rope and quick draws (you will be doing "sport climbing" because that is what you learned in the gym. the alternative is "trad climbing", but if you are just starting outside you would not get into that right away).

$150 for rope $20 per quick draw, 15 quick draws $75 for gri gri (this is your belay device, it is the belay device that ALL good climbers use, some beginners choose to use other ones like an "ATC" because they are cheap and don't want to dish out $75) $10 for locking carabieners, you will probably get 6 of them that you can use in all different situations.

that's all you're going to need

i suggest going to a book store near you (a BIG one that sells ALL magazines), and buying a copy of "Rock&Ice" and "Climbing", these are two Magazines, and an excellent sources of information for your assignment. good luck.